Lifting and walking jacket



May 24, 1966 c. L. WILSON LIFTING AND WALKING JACKET Filed May 22, 1965 INVENTOR CALLIE LOUISE WILSON .ZZI I ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,252,704 LIFTING AND WALKING JACKET Callie Louise Wilson, 607 Summit St., Winston-Salem, N.C. Filed May 22, 1963, Ser. No. 282,255 Claims. '(Cl. 272--70.3)

' to the body of a person using the same and useful in raising the body to which it is fitted from a prone to an upright position and by means of which the person may be supported while relearning to walk after having suffered an illness or otherwise been reduced from a normal physical condition to a subnormal state.

It has been customary for attendants to assist persons who have been ill and confined to bed whether at home or in a hospital and to continue to give attention to such persons until they regain their strength. This has required a great amount of time, attention, care, and effort on the part of a nurse or attendant. When the patient has been relatively large and the nurse relatively small or frail it has not been an easy task and has resulted in falls and injuries to the convalescents, and the raising of persons of reduced vigor and strength from a prone position to their feet and teaching them to walk a second time has presented a substantial problem.

Mechanical devices have been provided by which persans can be supported. eluded a base, a post or stanchion mounted thereon, and having an arm or boom pivoted thereto with means for raising and lowering the latter, and with a cross bar pivoted to such arm or boom and carrying depending suspension chains or cables to which a sling or hammock is attached and adapted to extend under the back or other portion of a patient to provide a support. Such devices have lacked stability due to the fact that a patient could readily slip from such support.

It is the object of the invention to provide a highly satisfactory, adjustablelifter jacket or harness applicable about the torso of a human being for elevating a person and for supporting a person thereafter in an upright or walking position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jacket of the character indicated which can be applied to a. person in a prone position and used to elevate such person to a walking position to make it possible for him by the slightest initial effort to increase activity until proficiency in the regaining of his ability to walk freely is accomplished.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jacket of the character indicated of a relatively simple and inexpensive construction, which can be easily applied and used for lifting a person, as well a device of substantial and durable construction and which can be readily laundered or cleaned when soiled.

Other objects and advantages of this inventiton will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application and use of the invention;

FIG. 2, a front elevation of the jacket with stirrups attached;

FIG. 3, a longitudinal section on the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4, a transverse section through grommets on the 4 line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Such devices each have in-.

ice I Briefly stated, the invention is a one-piece jacket of heavy canvas or other heavy sheet material with a body or torso receiving and supporting portion of a size to fit or conform to the human body, and having sides spaced from each other when applied, and with a front filler portion extending from the back and of a length to enable it to be moved forwardly between the crotch and upwardly until its extremity is in substantial alignment with the upper edges of the side members and with lacings between the adjacent edges of the side members and such filler portion. Thus the torso will be completely encircled and the crotch portion will be located in the crotch in a manner that in picking up the jacket a person can be raised to an upright easy walking position. In order to facilitate such raising of a person to upright position a pair of shoulder straps are provided and to the upper arched portion of which are attached supporting chains or cables by which and mechanical elevation means the raising to an upright position can be accomplished.

The jacket of the present invention is composed of heavy canvas or other relatively strong fabric or other material and comprises a bodice having a back portion 10 of a length to contact substantially the entire back of a person, a pair of connected side portions 11, 12, and a front portion 13, preferably of one piece construction with the front and side portions of a height less than the back portion to provide arm clearance and connected together by lacing 14.

The front portion 13 is integral with the back and is an extension thereof or connected thereto by a relatively narrow crotch portion 14' which when the jacket is applied provides a strap to limit longitudinal movement of the jacket as it is pulled onto the body and provides a bottom portion for the jacket with leg openings 15 and 16 at each side of the crotch portion.

The side portions of the jacket are provided with flaps or projections 17 and 18 at the bottom of the front of the side portions and similar peaks or projections 19 and 20 at the rear.

The front side edges of the jacket'are provided with reinforced marginal portions in which are located grommets 21 and the front portion 13 likewise is provided with reinforced marginal portions at each side in which are located grommets or eyelets 22 and lacings 23 and 24 which serve to secure the adjacent grommets or eyelets in the side and front portions of the jacket together thus fastening the jacket around the torso or body of the person to which it is applied.

When the jacket is applied it will support the torso or body of the individual prior to the raising of the same and by raising the jacket to an upright position the person may be thus raised and by supporting the jacket with the person therein such person only will have need to exert minimum effort initially with subsequent greater effort to relearn to walk and regain control of the mobile faculties.

In order to make it possible to raise and support a perbe provided such straps having their rear end secured to the back 10 of the jacket by stitching or the like 27 and 28 or in any other desired manner. The front ends of the straps 25 and 26 similarly are attached to the front portion 13 and if desired the upper grommets or eyelets 22 may be placed through the ends of the straps 25 and 26 and additionally served to hold them attached to the front piece 13.

When the device is applied the back 10 and sides 11 and 12 will be open and substantially flat and the device will be applied over the feet with the feet together between the straps 25 and 26 and then one foot will be guided to a position each side of the crotch 14 and through the openings and 16. Whereupon by pulling the straps toward the head of the person the crotch portion will be brought into the position within the crotch area and the shoulder straps may then be placed over the shoulders, after which the sides 11 and 12 may be brought forwardly and laced to the front 13 in the manner illustrated in the drawing.

The jacket with a person contained therein may be supported from the circular upper portion of the shoulder straps having eyelets 29 and 30 into which hooks 31 may be inserted. The hooks 31 are attached to cables or chains 32 attached to hooks 33 on a crossbar 34, fastened by a bracket 35 and a pivot pin 36 to an elevating arm or boom 37. The boom 37 has its opposite end fastened by a pivot 38 to and extending through a bifurcated end 39 of a post 40 mounted in a socket 41 on a base 42 having horizontal bars 43 and 44 in which are received angular side members 45 and 46 spaced apart for clearance of the feet. The base frame is supported by a caster wheel 47 at the front and a pair of caster wheels at each side as illustrated.

In order to swing the arm or boom 37, the arm is provided on its underside with a lug 48 connected by pivot 49 with the bifurcated end 50 of a piston rod 51 having a piston disposed within a fluid cylinder 52 connected by a pivot 53 and a bracket 54 to the lower end portion of the post or stanchion 40. A conventional air pump 56, having an operating handle 57 and a check valve 58 is provided by means of which the piston 55 can be raised by fluid pressure beneath the cylinder 52 to raise the arm 37 and the crossbar 34 to which the jacket carrying the person is attached. A bleeder valve 59 is provided so that the air may be vented to allow the lowering of the patient. When a person is supported in this manner the feet and legs and arms are free to move and minimum effort will be required. If desired to support the feet and legs the flaps 17-19 of the jacket may be provided with straps 60 and 61 attached thereto having loops 62 and 63 at their lower ends, which loops serve as stirrups for receiving the feet therein.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a relatively simple and inexpensive jacket is provided which can be readily applied including the tying of the lacings 23 and 24 to the body and the body elevated to an upright position whereupon the jacket with body therein can be supported by attaching chains or cable in the manner illustrated in the drawing. If desired the feet can be worked into the stirrups in loops 62 and 63 so that the entire body can be easily supported.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and there fore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A lifting and walking jacket for application to the torso of a human body comprising:

a unitary bodice member formed of relatively heavy sheet material and of a width and length adapted to substantially enclose and support the torso,

said bodice member including a medial back-engaging portion with side portions each integral therewith at each side thereof,

each of said side portions being adapted to overlie a side marginal portion of the torso on the front side thereof with the ends of said side portions disposed in spaced apart parallel and aligned relation to each other,

said bodice member further including a front filler portion positioned to lie intermediate of and abreast the ends of said side portions at a level below the top of said back-engaging portion and in close proximity to said side portions throughout a substantial portion of the length thereof,

said front filler portion being integrally connected to 7 said back-engaging portion by a relatively narrow strip to form a crotch-receiving portion,

eyelets formed in said side portions adjacent each end thereof and in said front filler portion adjacent each side thereof abreast of said side portions for the receipt of lacings therebetween for adjustably fastening each of said side portions and said front filler portion together in closely aligned and fitting relation with the torso when the jacket is applied thereto,

and means on said jacket for cooperation with lifting mechanism whereby the human body may be raised from a prone position to an upright position and supported by said jacket in a vertical position for walking.

2. A lifting and walking jacket as defined in claim 1 including means connected to said bodice material and providing stirrup loops for receiving the feet of the wearer when the jacket is worn on the human body.

3. A lifting and walking jacket as defined in claim 1 wherein the top edges of said side portions lie in substantial alignment at a level below the top of said medial back-engaging portion whereby to provide clearance for the arms of the human torso when the jacket is worn thereon.

4. A lifting and walking jacket as defined in claim 1 wherein said means includes shoulder straps each attached at one end thereof tosaid back-engaging portion and at the other end to said front filler portion,

said shoulder straps each including connector means thereon adapted for releasable connection to a lifting means.

5. A lifting and walking jacket as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said back and side portions include spaced apart flap portions at the lower ends thereof,

and stirrup loop members attached to said flap portions for receiving and supporting the feet of the human body when the jacket is disposed in a vertical position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 550,433 11/1895 Babington 12s '537 1,667,364 4/1928 Wagner 128-524 2,345,760 4/1944 Lunney 128-537 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LIFTING AND WALKING JACKET FOR APPLICATION TO THE TORSO OF A HUMAN BODY COMPRISING: A UNITARY BODICE MEMBER FORMED OF RELATIVELY HEAVY SHEET MATERIAL AND OF A WIDTH AND LENGTH ADAPTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSE AND SUPPORT THE TORSO, SAID BODICE MEMBER INCLUDING A MEDIAL BACK-ENGAGING PORTION WITH SIDE PORTIONS EACH INTEGRAL THEREWITH AT EACH SIDE THEREOF, EACH OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO OVERLIE A SIDE MARGINAL PORTION OF THE TORSO ON THE FRONT SIDE THEREOF WITH THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS DISPOSED IN SPACED APART PARALLEL AND ALIGNED RELATION TO EACH OTHER, SAID BODICE MEMBER FURTHER INCLUDING A FRONT FILLER PORTION POSITIONED TO LIE INTERMEDIATE OF AND ABREAST THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS AT A LEVEL BELOW THE TOP OF SAID BACK-ENGAGING PORTION AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID SIDE PORTIONS THROUGHOUT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE LENGTH THEREOF, SAID FRONT FILLER PORTION BEING INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BACK-ENGAGING PORTION BY A RELATIVELY NARROW STRIP TO FORM A CROTCH-RECEIVING PORTION, EYELETS FORMED IN SAID SIDE PORTIONS ADJACENT EACH END THEREOF AND IN SAID FRONT FILLER PORTION ADJACENT EACH SIDE THEREOF ABREAST OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS FOR THE RECEIPT OF LACINGS THEREBETWEEN FOR ADJUSTABLY FASTENING EACH OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS AND SAID FRONT FILLER 